This invention relates generally to water treatment equipment, but more particularly pertains to means for removing the electrolytic activity that can lead to mineral deposition upon the conductive surfaces inherently within such equipment.
The deposit of mineral trace elements within water or other fluids that is being treated by various equipment has long plagued the industry. For example, it has been found that some quantum of electric charge exists within water, particularly that having mineral content, and can cause the water to react as an electrolyte, thereby giving rise to electrolytic action with the water in a manner that deposits its mineral content upon the inner surfaces of the water treatment apparatuses that accommodate the water. For example, the fact that electrolytic action does take place in causing such mineral deposits can be readily deduced from observing the interior of any pipe that is constructed of iron, copper, or any other conductive material, wherein the mineral deposits that uniformly form a scale around the entire inner circumference of the pipe can be readily observed, and in some cases totally occlude the flow of water within the pipe. If it was not an electrolytic form of action that would give rise to such deposits, then the mineral deposits, or its scale, would be thicker at the lower portions of the pipe, than at its upper reaches, since gravity would normally cause a descent of such mineral deposits to this lower vicinity. But, such is not the case, and scale forms around pipes to uniform thicknesses that readily infers that electric charge is causing the mineral and metallic transfer to all reaches uniformly of the internal surfaces of equipment pipe.
But, pipes alone are not attacked by mineral deposits, but rather, any type of apparatuses that require the use of water or other conductive liquids are subjected to such deterioration. Boilers, water heaters, condensers, bottle washers, pasteurizers and water coolers, and related equipment, all are of the type of equipment that can be subjected to the formation of scale upon their inner surfaces, below the water line, if these apparatuses are formed of a conductive material. As previously stated, the electrostatic charge, or minor electric charge, that inherently exits within water or other fluids gives rise to the electrolytic action that causes the transfer of its mineral deposits to the surfaces of the metal apparatuses, wherein the charge seeks its outlet through grounding. Hence, providing some means within the flow of water within these types of apparatuses can effectively ground or diminish the electric charge within such water, and has significantly reduced the damage heretofore sustained by such apparatuses. The formation of scale itself upon the inner surfaces of water treating apparatuses is not in and of itself the only damage perpetrated by this action, but in addition, scale formation usually gives rise to both pitting at the scale metal interface, with corrosion of the metallic surface eventually occurring. It is believed that the electrolytic action gives rise to the generation of free oxygen that can cause some oxidation therein. Obviously, exposing the metal parts to action in the category of pitting and corrosion eventually leads to the embrittlement of the metal itself, and which necessarily results in the destruction of the entire equipment itself. One need only recall how often the domestic or industrial water heaters need to be replaced as a result of accumulated scale, and which eventually leads to corrosion of the metallic components exposed beneath the water line.
Efforts have been made heretofore to seek some correction of this problem that exists with water treating equipment, and generally these prior art devices have been reasonably effective in their operations on the short term, but the component structures of the apparatuses themselves heretofore as designed for detracting from electrolytic conduct within such equipment have usually not been constructed themselves for a long duration. Some such apparatuses have not recognized the need for electrically isolating a conductive ground device within the flow of water within the boiler, so that the charge within the water would be conducted entirely through the device and removed to ground, rather than having the jacket of the boiler itself act as a ground, which has heretofore been tried. Such can be seen in the U.S. Pat. No. to Neeley, 2,499,670, wherein the electrode itself connects through supporting structure to the outer sheet of the boiler, and hence, any grounding achieved in this manner has reduced benefits on the formation of scale upon the inner surfaces of the boiler. But, the earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. to Bremerman, 2,893,938, 2,975,769, 3,595,774, and 3,620,951, recognized the necessity to insulate the electrode from the reservoir surface so that a more effective grounding of the electrode can be made. But, many of the insulating components of these prior art electrodes were formed mainly for their ability to prevent electric charge transfer, and such components usually were constructed of Bakelite, or some other resin formed insulators. The problems with this type of insulator is that while it is effective as a nonconductor upon the short term usage, Bakelite and similar type resin insulators when submerged in water for any length of time, have a tendency to absorb moisture, probably within their inherent pores, and which moisture itself eventually weakens the insulator and further functions as a slight conductor of charge from the electrode to the vessel of the boiler or other equipment in which it is mounted and in contact. Hence, while such electrodes are effective in their early stages of usage, they have eventually become self deteriorated due to their prolonged exposure to moisture, since any such electrode, and their insulator, must by necessity be submerged below the water line within the boiler so as to operate effectively for its intended purpose. Furthermore, where such insulators were employed in supporting a grounding device through the wall of a pressure vessel, on occasion a blowout would occur due to its weakened condition through prolonged exposure to moisture.
It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus that functions as a better electrolyte than the water within a water treating or handling system, and therein conduct the dynamic electric energy from the water through its conductor and transfer it externally of the boiler, thereby eliminating the formation of scale, lime, and sludge deposit upon the interior surface of such equipment, and consequently reducing its incidence to pitting and corrosion.
A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for removing electrolytic energy from water within water treating equipment, thereby reducing the deleterious effects of mineral matter contained within such equipment, and thereby enhancing significantly its heating efficiency.
A further object of this invention is to provide a descaling apparatus for water treatment equipment that operates effectively while eliminating substantially the maintenance and operating service normally required of such equipment.
A further object of this invention is to provide a grounding apparatus for water treating equipment that effectively removes older formed scale deposits adhering to the inner surfaces of such equipment, as below its water line.
Another object of this invention is to provide a compact conductive member that may be located at the cold water inlet of water handling equipment, and at this location effectively eliminate any inherent electrostatic charge contained within the incoming water, thereby substantially reducing scale deposits upon the metallic surfaces of such equipment.
These and other objects will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the summary of this invention, and upon undertaking a study of its preferred embodiment in view of the drawings.